Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Persons per room

Definition

Persons per room refers to an indicator of the level of crowding in a private dwelling. It is calculated by dividing the number of persons in the household by the number of rooms in the dwelling.

Statistical unit(s)

• Private household

Classification(s)

• Number of persons per room

Reported in

2021 and 2016 (25% sample); 2011^{Footnote 1} (30% sample); 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986 and 1981 (20% sample). For availability prior to 1981, refer to Appendix 2.1.

Reported for

Private households

Question number(s)

Derived variable: Question E3a)

Responses

In the standard products, the most detailed classification is as follows:

One person or fewer per room

More than 1 person per room

More than 1 but less than 1.50

1.50 persons or more

Remarks

'Persons per room' is a measure of crowding that considers all rooms in a private dwelling and the number of household members. A higher value of 'persons per room' indicates a higher level of crowding.

An alternative measure is the housing suitability, according to the National Occupancy Standard (NOS), which assesses the required number of bedrooms for a household based on the age, sex, and relationships among household members.

Note(s)

Related 2021 data products

• Housing suitability by tenure, with household type including census family structure: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (98-10-0238-01)
• Housing suitability by tenure: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (98-10-0237-01)
• Housing suitability with bedroom shortfall by tenure, with household size: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations (98-10-0235-01)
• Housing suitability with bedroom shortfall by tenure: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations (98-10-0236-01)
• Number of persons per room by Indigenous identity and housing suitability: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0285-01)
• Number of persons per room by Indigenous identity, housing suitability and residence by Indigenous geography: Canada, provinces and territories (98-10-0284-01)